Dear
Linda,
Thank
you for your wonderful blog. I enjoy reading your explanations.
Now I
have a clarification to ask, if you please.
On
Sunday, while playing a Stableford friendly round, at a Golf Club in Chennai,
India, I took a shot from 160 yards with my 6 iron and hit the ball of my
fellow competitor which was at rest on the green.
After
an animated discussion we all agreed that a two-stroke penalty was to be
applied to my score for that hole. (Rule 19-5)
It is
my opinion though that this rule is a harsh punishment after a brilliant stroke
(rarely I hit the green in regulation).
Were
we correct in applying the penalty? If so, what is your opinion on the fairness
of this rule?
Thanks,
Lou
from Thailand
Dear
Lou,
There
is no penalty if a ball that is not
on the putting green strikes and moves a ball at rest on the green. The player
whose ball was in motion must play his ball as it lies [Rule 19-5a]; the player
whose ball was moved must replace his ball [Rule 18-5].
If both
balls are on the putting green, there is no penalty in match play if one ball strikes and moves another. In stroke play, the player who putts his
ball and strikes and moves another ball on the green incurs a two-stroke
penalty [Rule 19-5a].
Please
go back to the rulebook and re-read Rule 19-5. You should notice that there is
no mention of any penalty unless the format is stroke play and both balls lay on the putting green prior to the stroke.
Linda
Copyright © 2016 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
